Claw hammer



April '3, 1928.

' ,664,594 c. D. CUMMINGS CLAW HAMMER Filed April 9, 1927 By flrm/iwzvs,

I [ma/aural? M rflf Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

I U STATES.

CHARLES n. CUMMINGS, or Tour, ew Your.

craw A MER.

Application filed April 9, 1927. Serial No. 182,383.

This invention relates to a new-and im-. proved head for hammers. p I

The main object of my invention is vto provide a means whereby a nail may be withdrawn from wood easily and without bendingthe nail.

Another objectis to provide a means whereby a nail may be held in the-hammer head and started into wood without any other support. A further object is to provide a means whereby the point of a nail may be struck by the hammer without destroying the point of the nail, or bending its shank. A further object is to provide an improved means of fastening the handle in the hammer head.

Other objects and advantages relate to the details and form of the device, all as will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hammer with the handle broken away, and showing in dotted lines a nail in position for start- Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2' of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines the nail-drawing attachment properly disposed for drawing 3.

- nail, and a nail in position; and

Fig.3 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 2, showing a nail in position for start-- ing.

In the drawings, the same numbers refer to the same parts of my device.

In the drawings a particular form of shape of hammer head is shown, but it is obvious that my device is adapted for other forms and shapes. V

The top of the hammer headl is provided with a rectangular recess 2'extending longitudinally from the front of the top 1 towards the rear, and opening into a. crosschannel 3 extending across the width of the.

top 1 and disposed at right angles to recess 2. Extending rearwardly from cross-channel 3 and adjacent to the side of the hammer head is a slot 4 of a size andshape adapted to receive a segment of a nail head. A T-shaped member 5 of a size and shape to conform to recess 2 and channel 3, and normally nest therein, is pivoted in the'forward end of recess 2 by means of pivot pin 6, and carries on its rear cross-member 7 a slot 8 which registers with slot 4 and is of a.

. of a nail head.

size and shape adapted'to receive a segment ()n the bottom of'recess 2 a spring 9, held in position by screw 10 at its rearward end, isxdisposed to engage the front end of memher 5 and'hold: it nested in recess 2 or hold it in a vertical position. The pivot pin 6 is so disposed that the member 5 can be raised to a vertical position, but no further.

v The bottom portion '11 of the hammer head has a -recess'12 adapted to receive the handle 13. The bottom of the recess 12 is larger in diameter from front to back than is the main body of the recess, forming shoulders 14, 14 and carries in the center of said. bottom a wedge 15 adapted to enter the handlexl3 and force portions thereof over shoulders 14, 14, thereby securing the handle 13 in place and excluding all moisture.

On one side of my device there is provided a recess in the form of a truncated cone 19 concentric with and leading into a cone 16 of greater pitch and adapted to conform to the point of a nail.

In operation my device functions as follows:

If it is desired to pull a nail, the member 5 is raised to a vertical position, as perhaps may best be seen in Fig. 2, and acts as a fulcrum for the claws 17, thereby permitting a much greater vertical lift than in the ordinary hammer where the poll 18 must be used as a fulcrum.-

If it is desired to start a nail without holding it with the fingers, the member 5, as may perhaps be best seen in Fig. 1, is raised sufficiently to permit the insertion of the nail in cross-channel 3 with its head in slot 4. The member 5 is then pressed down until the slot 8 also engages the head of the nail with the cross-member 7 confining the nail shank in cross-channel 3 through the action of spring 9. The nail will remain in this position while being started into the wood.

If it is desired to strike a nail on its point, the recess in the side of the head consisting of cones 19 and 16 is used as the striking face. The cone 19 will guide the nail point into the cone 16 which acts as a die to preserve the point of the nail.

Altho I have shown and described a specific construction and form, as illustrative of an embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to restrict myself to the exact form,

shape or arrangement of the parts, as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a hammer head havingz claws adaptedwto. re-

ceive and confine the hea'd'of" a nail, a recess in the top of said hammer head adagted to,

receive the head end of a nail, a movable member pivoted in the topaof saidthammen head and. adapted to confine a nail in said recess, and means? for holding said; movable member in a position to function: fulcrum for. said: claws.

2;; In: adevice of the class described, av hammer-r head, a: recess in' they top of said head, aimovable member in said recess pivot'ally mounted in one end? theneof and mov able to a vertical: position with respect to said recess, and, a glotin" the other end of said; recess adapted: t0 receive the head end of-a na ilpunder saidlmovablemember.

3; Inacdevice of the class described, av

meansreleasably holding said movable mem her in position.

, k lniai devieewof the class described, a hammer head, a T-shaped recess in the top ofr'said;head,=,arslot inione end of the recess adapted to receivea nailhead, a movable member'pivota'lly mounted in: the other. end

of" the recess and having a. slot registering with the slot inthe recess.

5. In a device as describedin claimn lg s ring: means releasably holding said mova le; member in position.

' In witness whereof I-have ihereunto set my hand thisQS-th day-ofiMai-ch, 1927-. V

l CHARLES D, eUMMINGs. 

